College of Arts & Sciences

Modern and Classical Languages

The members of the Saint Joseph’s French and Francophone Studies programs are glad that you’re visiting our pages. We hope that you will enjoy browsing the site and learning more about the benefits of studying French and the Francophone world with us.

We offer a wide range of courses for students at all levels, from beginner to advanced. You can learn about the cultures of French-speaking countries, be introduced to or review grammatical points, practice your conversation skills, act in a French play, and study topics like cinema, the press, and French-speaking regions in the United States, and the legend of King Arthur. Our courses are interdisciplinary in nature and may incorporate history, literature, philosophy, gender studies, film studies, and the sciences, underscoring the connections between French and other fields of study.

State-of-the-art technology in our classrooms and language resource center enhances our courses. During any given class period, you may find yourself watching a film clip or French news report, doing a Power Point presentation, listening to music or dialogues, or helping your classmates with compositions. No matter which course you’re taking, you’ll find the instructors’ knowledge of and enthusiasm for French, together with our commitment to our students, will help you to reach your goals.

Many of our majors combine their studies in French or Francophone Studies with a specialization in a second field, such as political science, international relations, another language, European studies, English, fine arts, or philosophy. Additionally, majors in International Business, International Marketing, and a variety of other disciplines frequently opt to complete a French minor. In conjunction with the Education Department, we offer certification to teach French at the secondary level, as well.

The small size of our classes means that you will receive ample personal attention and have many opportunities to develop your French skills in the classroom. The activities of the Cercle Français, our French club, also allow you to practice conversation and learn more about the French-speaking world. Both in and out of class, you’ll meet new people; many of our students have commented that working with peers in class or getting to know them during extracurricular activities have led to some of their closest friendships.

We strongly encourage our students to take advantage of the approved study abroad programs in French-speaking countries: the CIEE semester in Dakar, Senegal, the IES semester in Paris programs, and the Summer program at Université Laval in Québec (Canada). All programs will hone your French skills and increase your confidence in speaking, and you’ll return with a new appreciation for a different culture as well as memories that will last a lifetime.

Our graduates have followed diverse paths after earning a diploma at Saint Joseph’s. Some have continued their studies—from French to law to business—in graduate school. Others (often after spending a semester in Strasbourg) have chosen to teach in France for a year as the recipients of a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship or an assistantship offered by the French government. Still others have gone on to careers in fields as varied as education, journalism, and information science. Majoring or minoring in French helps you to think critically, read carefully, and express yourself clearly in speech or in writing—all skills that are important for success in whichever occupation you decide to pursue.

If you have any questions as you explore our site, we would be happy to answer them; please contact Dr. Daniel, or Dr. Burr. We look forward to hearing from you!